Jewish Labour MPs hit out at Corbyn’s ‘vitriolic hatred of Israel’

Dame Louise Ellman and Louisa Berger tell Jewish Labour Movement conference how it was 'deeply distressing' that the Labour leader had 'shared platforms with terrorists'.

Jeremy Corbyn’s “vitriolic hatred of Israel” has blinded him to the company he keeps, a Jewish Labour MP has said.

Dame Louise Ellman said it was “deeply distressing” that the Labour leader had “shared platforms with terrorists”.

The veteran MP for Liverpool Riverside was speaking at the Jewish Labour Movement conference in London on Sunday as accusations of anti-Semitism continue to consume the party.

She said she was determined to continue working from within the party in the wake of MP Frank Field resigning the whip last week, but explained that she feared deselection, particularly with upcoming rule changes potentially making it easier “to get rid of MPs”.

“It is deeply disturbing that Jeremy Corbyn has shared platforms with terrorists,” she said.

“I think his world view and his vitriolic hatred of Israel, not a particular government of Israel, his vitriolic hatred of Israel, and I expect the rejection of the concept of Zionism itself, has blinded him to the company he is keeping.”

She added: “I think his overwhelming hatred of Israel has been all-consuming and the rest either hasn’t been recognised or hasn’t seemed to matter and because of recent events suddenly that’s in the limelight means it can no longer be ignored.”

Dame Louise, along with fellow Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger, told conference delegates of the abuse they have faced, some of it from party members, including being told that “we don’t have human blood”.

“I’m told Jeremy himself has called me the MP for Tel Aviv, which I expect is probably true,” she said.

Ms Berger referred to a “summer of anti-Semitism within the Labour Party”, which has dominated the headlines on an almost daily basis.

Dame Louise added: “There’s always been some anti-Semitism on the Left … but there has been nothing like what’s happened over the last few years, where it’s become persistent and endemic in the party, and ignored.”

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